When Tom Wolf opened his York campaign office in August, he told supporters that he and his wife are used to being on the other side of political campaigns.

The York County businessman and gubernatorial candidate hasn't run a full campaign for public office before. His previous campaign for Pennsylvania governor ended in February 2009 before he formally announced he was running.

But he's been involved in a lot of political campaigns, providing money that candidates could use to buy TV ads, lawn signs and other items to get their message out.

"Frances and I have been strong supporters of candidates throughout our adult life," Wolf told the crowd.

An analysis of data available from the Pennsylvania Department of State illustrates the depth and breadth of their support in Pennsylvania, and the help they've given to people running for state representative, state senator, governor and other offices.

The York Daily Record/Sunday News compiled individual contributions of $1,000 or more given by Wolf, his wife or both, based on searchable state data -- which is complete as of 2004, and includes limited records as far as back as 1998, according to department spokesman Ron Ruman.

Information is typically uploaded to the state website within six days of when it's submitted, Ruman said.

The analysis shows that the couple has given more than $1.6 million combined for other state-level and some county campaigns, not counting Wolf's own campaign committee, during that time period.

Contributions to candidates in the past don't mean those candidates will support Wolf in the Democratic primary, said G. Terry Madonna, a pollster and political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.

But those contributions demonstrate Wolf's activism in politics and his willingness to spend his money for campaigns.

Madonna said those contributions could help Wolf in the gubernatorial race, although how much is unclear.

"Rank and file Democrats aren't going to care about that. The voters don't. But the leaders do," Madonna said. "...It's going to allow him to go to party circles, not as an outsider, but as someone who's supported Democratic candidates."

Madonna said he thinks those past contributions will be less important to the race than another factor: Wolf's commitment to spend at least $10 million of his own money for the primary.

That means Wolf will be able to spend money to introduce himself and create a narrative for voters, Madonna said.

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Wolf, 64 , of Mount Wolf, is chairman and CEO of the Wolf Organization, the corporate parent for a company that describes itself as a building products provider and "the largest supplier of kitchen cabinets in the U.S."

He said contributions from him and his wife have been "very generous" for both political campaigns and charitable organizations.

They have made more than $9.5 million in charitable and community donations since 2005, to organizations like the United Way of York County, Crispus Attucks Association, York College and the York County Community Foundation, according to information from his campaign. Those donations are separate from any political contributions.

"In my mind, contributing to a political campaign is the same thing as contributing to the United Way. ... The goal in both cases is to make life better for a lot of people," said Wolf, a former chairman of the United Way of York County.

He acknowledged that some people are more skeptical about the good that government can do, but he thinks holding public office and serving on a charitable board should be held in the same high esteem.

"Every time we educate a child we're doing a really wonderful deed for society," he said. "Every time we build a highway, every time we clean up a river we're doing marvelous things for the quality of life."

Wolf downplayed the impact that previous political contributions could have on this race.

He said someone he's given to in the past might be more polite and more likely to take a phone call from him if he reaches out to them during the campaign, but he doesn't think those contributions will change how they decide who to support.

He said his story is what matters in the race.

During the opening of his York office, he highlighted his service as a Peace Corps volunteer, his doctorate from the Massachusetts of Institute of Technology, his leadership roles with community organizations, his business experience, and his role as state revenue secretary in former Gov. Ed Rendell's administration.

He said he's shared his story one-on-one and in small groups for the past several months at campaign events. Stops have included the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee meeting in Lancaster County, a birthday party for a Philadelphia state senator, and meetings with Democrats in places like Centre and Erie counties, according to news reports and the campaign's Facebook page.

"Even when they don't know me, even when they're reluctant to take a meeting with me, if I get a chance to tell the story ... I typically win them over," he said.

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The Wolfs have contributed to: Rendell's gubernatorial campaigns; Bob Casey Jr.'s auditor general and treasurer campaign committees; statewide and county campaign committees; and many local Democrats.

Eugene DePasquale, a former state representative from West Manchester Township who is now auditor general, has received $58,000 from six contributions for his campaigns.

DePasquale didn't respond to requests for comment for this story.

The Wolfs have also contributed to people who are now announced or potential gubernatorial candidates in the 2014 primary, including U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz and state Treasurer Rob McCord.

When McCord was running for state treasurer, his campaign committee received $20,000 from Wolf in July 2008 and $30,000 from Frances in May 2007.

"It sounds like he's been pretty ecumenical about the kind of Democrat he's given the money to," said Madonna, the pollster and political science professor.

Madonna added that, for example, Casey is more conservative than some other Pennsylvania Democrats.

Bob Wilson, chairman of the York County Republican Committee, said he didn't want to discuss specifics of the Democratic primary.

But he said that, generally, past contributions could give somebody a foot in the door during a campaign with different organizations or donors that are friendly to a particular party, and make it easier to get a chance to talk before them.

He said people generally give to candidates because they believe in their message, not because they expect payback or support down the road.

"In terms of guaranteed support -- this is politics, nothing is ever guaranteed," Wilson said.

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The top recipient for the Wolfs is Rendell. The database shows $263,500 worth of contributions to Rendell's gubernatorial committee from 2002 through 2006.

"Tom's been a great Democrat, supporting candidates all over," Rendell told the PennLive/Patriot-News editorial board in May.

But Rendell said that most of the Democratic gubernatorial candidates are friends and former allies, so he would stay out of the race.

A spokesman for state Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery County, had a similar response. Wolf gave $15,000 to Leach's campaign committee in September 2008 and $1,000 in June 2010.

"Daylin is friends with literally every Democrat who is running for governor right now," said Aren Platt, a spokesman for Leach's 2014 congressional campaign. "And he has worked with them all in a variety of capacities."

Leach doesn't plan on making an endorsement for the gubernatorial primary, Platt said.

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The Wolfs have given more than $96,000 to the York County Democratic Party since the early 2000s through individual contributions of $1,000 or more, according to the available state data. The state data also shows some smaller individual contributions.

Bob Kefauver, chairman of the local party, also compared the Wolfs' political contributions to their charitable ones.

Kefauver said the Wolfs' contributions weren't made with any expectation of quid pro quo. He said the contributions were given with the intention of helping get the message out to voters.

"More dollars equals more mail pieces, or more TV ads, or more phone calls," Kefauver said.

Kefauver said the local party doesn't currently endorse candidates in primaries at any level, but that he personally supports Wolf.

On a practical level, Kefauver said, past campaign contributions might open some doors for candidates and could make it easier to get a first meeting with a high level elected official during a campaign.

But he said it doesn't change people's views or win elections.

"Whether you're a party leader or a rank and file voter, people don't cast votes or turn their support behind someone based on what they've given," Kefauver said. "...It's about a person's character."

Wolf contributed more than $88,000 to David Barasch's unsuccessful bid for attorney general in the 2004 Democratic primary, according to available state records.

The two have become close friends over the years. Barasch has worked for Wolf, and he is chairman of Wolf's gubernatorial campaign, a volunteer position.

Barasch also joined Wolf for some interviews with state legislative candidates when Wolf was considering contributing to their campaigns. He said Wolf never gave to somebody expecting to get something in return.

"He was trying to judge their character," said Barasch, a Dauphin County attorney. "...Anybody can say the right thing, but do you think this is somebody who's got the character to follow through on things?"

When his York campaign office opened in August, Wolf described to the crowd how and his wife approached previous campaigns.

"Every time we got involved in a primary or a general election, we sort of looked at it like a hiring decision," Wolf said. "...And I'm hoping that I can convince Pennsylvania to look at this as a hiring decision."

Search for contributions of $1,000 or more

About the database and analysis

The York Daily Record/Sunday News created a searchable database showing contributions of $1,000 or more from Tom Wolf, his wife, Frances, or both, to campaigns and committees that file with Pennsylvania's Department of State.

The database does not account for all of the Wolfs' contributions.

Local candidates, including all county-level candidates except for the court of common pleas, as well as city, township, borough and school district candidates, file with the county board of elections.

U.S. House, Senate and presidential candidates file with the Federal Election Commission.

The database provides a look at what Wolf, who is running for governor, has contributed to those involved in state level campaigns, including for state legislators, governor and attorney general. It also includes statewide judicial candidates and county court of common pleas races.

Ron Ruman, a spokesman for the Department of State, said the online state campaign finance records are complete back to 2004, and mostly complete back through 2002.

"Prior to that they are spotty," he said in an email.

He said the department began putting the records online around 2001 and 2002. Some records as early as 1998 are included, he said.

The department does not have paper records for the older filings, he said.

Information is uploaded to the state website typically within six days of when it's submitted, Ruman said.

Selected contributions

Tom Wolf, and his wife, Frances, have donated to many Democratic campaigns and committees over the years.

Here's a look some of the total contributions:

(All information is for campaign and political committees. Sometimes Wolf and his wife gave as a couple. Other times they gave as individuals. The totals represent their combined contributions. Individual contributions of less than $1,000 weren't included when calculating these totals.)

--- $263,500 to former Gov. Ed Rendell -- from six contributions, July 2002 through August 2006.

--- $96,126 to the York County Democratic Party -- from 13 contributions, February 2001 through July 2012.

--- $88,733 to David Barasch, who ran for state attorney general and was defeated in the 2004 Democratic primary. The total comes from five contributions during that campaign.

--- $86,500 to the Pennsylvania Democratic Party -- from four contributions, August 2006 through June 2012.

--- $75,000 to the Montgomery County Democratic Committee, from two contributions in October 2007 and September 2008.

--- $58,000 to Eugene DePasquale, a former state representative from West Manchester Township and current state auditor general. The total comes from six contributions, from September 2006 through June 2011.

--- $55,000 to 21st Century Democrats -- from two contributions, both in August 2008.

--- $51,000 to the House Democratic Campaign Committee -- from two contributions in September 2006 and December 2007.

--- $50,000 to Rob McCord, the state treasurer -- from two contributions in May 2007 and July 2008. McCord has set up a political committee to raise money for a gubernatorial campaign, but hasn't formally announced.

--- $45,000 to the Democratic State Senate Campaign Committee in September 2008.

--- $43,000 to Stephen Stetler, a former state representative from York. The total came from six contributions, from June 2000 through December 2005.

Those contributions occurred before Stetler faced public corruption charges. He was convicted in June 2012.

Wolf helped create a legal defense fund for Stetler before his trial, and he was one of the prominent York County figures who asked a judge for leniency when Stetler was sentenced.

"Steve Stetler is a good person who has done many great things for the people of this community," Wolf said in an email after the sentencing in September 2012.

Other notable contributions

--- $8,500 to Allyson Schwartz of Montgomery County, a former state senator and current U.S. representative who is now running for governor. The total comes from three contributions, from September 2000 through April 2003, when Schwartz was a state lawmaker.

--- $4,500 to Bob Casey Jr., now a U.S. senator. The total comes from three contributions from May 2000 through February 2004, and was for both auditor general and treasurer campaigns.

Republicans

Wolf and his wife have given contributions of $1,000 or more to candidates in York County common pleas court races, where candidates frequently cross-file, running for both Republican and Democratic nominations.

Other than those cases, the state database shows no contributions to Republican candidates of $1,000 or more.

Wolf did give $250 in February 2000 to Republican Beverly Mackereth's campaign committee. Mackereth, a former Spring Grove mayor and current secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, was elected to the state House that year.

Source: Pennsylvania Department of State data, compiled by the York Daily Record/Sunday News.

--- former state revenue secretary Tom Wolf of York County, wolfforpa.com.

Rob McCord, state treasurer, has set up a political committee to raise money for a campaign, but hasn't formally announced, according to the Associated Press. Former Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said recently that he's seriously considering a bid.